Sony Says PS3 Still Coming Next Spring
Just a reminder, in case you were heading out to buy an Xbox 360 instead of waiting.
With the buzz surrounding the recently launched Xbox 360 and the distinct lack of buzz surrounding the PlayStation 3, Sony has stepped in to remind people that its next-generation console will be out next spring - at least in Japan.
But the sudden reminder may have less to do with games that you may think. Sony is currently embroiled in a fight with a rival high-definition DVD group that is warring with Sony's Blu-ray to become the standard for Hollywood's next-generation content.
The PlayStation 3 will be the first mass-market machine able to play high-definition movies, and many see the console as a Trojan horse for bringing its Blu-ray format into homes around the world - something the HD-DVD camp will not be able to do unless, as speculated, Microsoft brings out an HD-DVD-equipped version of the Xbox 360 at some point.
While past Sony console launches have started in Japan and slowly filtered through to North America and Europe, there is talk that the company will emulate Microsoft and try for a near-simultaneous global launch.
The problems Microsoft has had might dissuade Sony from that, though.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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